Video: President Trump and Prime Minister Harris exchange charity dinner items
With less than three weeks left until the US presidential election and a fiercely contested race between the two candidates, the charity dinner that was meant to be a light-hearted tease turns out to be no joke at all.
Donald Trump attended the Al Smith benefit dinner with his wife Melania. He gave a rally-like speech in which he poked fun at rival Kamala Harris, but in keeping with tradition, he also delivered a few gags at his own expense.
Harris herself broke with tradition, declining to attend in favor of important campaign matters, and instead sent a video skit to attendees.
The event aims to raise money for underprivileged women and children and is often the last time both candidates share the stage before Election Day, but that didn’t happen this year.
Here are four memorable moments from that night.
1) I’ve been shot enough, President Trump quips.
Tradition dictates that presidential candidates attending the banquet perform several gags at their own expense. President Trump confirmed the convention would be held, but joked that he had “nothing to say.”
“I guess you don’t see the point in shooting yourself when other people have been shooting at me for so long,” he said jokingly.
This appears to be a reference to the fact that he survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 election campaign. That includes an incident in July when a gunman’s bullet grazed his ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump, who returned to the city where he was convicted earlier this year, also acknowledged that he is in legal trouble.
“I’m really happy to be with you all tonight,” he said, “and these days I’m really happy to be anywhere in New York without a subpoena to appear.”
2) Trump “likes” Biden. Harris asks if he doesn’t hunt.
Although President Trump spoke politely to his Democratic rivals, he was unable to resist a sense of superiority in the election.
Referring to his fierce rivalry with former Democratic candidate Joe Biden, he admitted, “I didn’t really like Biden, but now I like him a lot.”
But he clarified that this was only because Biden withdrew from the presidential race in July. As for her new rival, Harris, he suggested he had a chance to like her, but only if she lost the race for the White House.
“If I win, I’ll like her, but I don’t like her right now,” he said.
President Trump also grilled Harris for not attending the event in person. He suggested that his opponent must have been “hunting” with his running mate, Tim Walz, a sports enthusiast and fellow gun owner.
Reuters
It was relatively unusual for President Trump to attend an event with first lady Melania Trump.
3) Harris confronts Trump with the Ten Commandments
Instead of attending the dinner, Harris sent a pre-recorded skit with Saturday Night Live alumna Molly Shannon poking fun at Trump.
As part of a sketch written for Catholic Charities, she received advice from Shannon’s character on how to interact with the audience. “Don’t lie,” Shannon told Harris. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
“That’s right,” Harris countered, harshly criticizing Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 vote. “Especially your neighbor’s election results.”
Harris also was urged by Shannon to avoid offending Catholics at Catholic events, saying it was “like criticizing Detroit in Detroit.”
This was a reference to last week’s incident in which President Trump said the United States would “eventually” become like Detroit if Harris wins the election.
4) “Biden couldn’t be here tonight,” the host laments.
Although Harris did not poke fun at herself in the short video, speakers other than Trump at the dinner were also present to mock Democrats.
“President Biden cannot be here tonight. The DNC (Democratic National Committee) has confirmed that,” host Jim Gaffigan said.
Biden withdrew from the presidential race in July under pressure from party leaders.
North American correspondent Anthony Zurcher covers the race for the White House in his twice-weekly U.S. Elections Unspin newsletter. UK readers can sign up here. People outside the UK can sign up here.
